Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Future HomePod Models Could Include Face ID Technology

SoApple said:
Am I the only one who sees no use for Face ID on a home speaker...?
Click to expand...

I see excellent reasons for having FaceID on HomePod. May not happen on this version. But likely on those that follow.
 
Last edited:
Wife - "Siri - play Robert Plant's new album"

Homepod - "Sorry - this homepod is designated to your husband's Apple Music account. If you want to hear some music you'll have to pay for your own subscription or buy your own homepod, mate."

etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CarpalMac, diego and WatchFromAfar
This sounds...odd. Voice recognition on my smart speaker works from across the room. What will the effective range for such an implementation of Face ID be
 
dwaltwhit said:
Like what?
Click to expand...

For starters...

I suspect Apple might view HomePod being used in a home environment where there might be multiple family members who want to engage it. Husband, wife, and a few children. And maybe even a guest.

I might want to ask the question, "What is the balance in my checking account today?" Before reporting the balance, I would hope HomePod would first ascertain my identity, and then report the balance of my (and not a family member's) checking account.

I could go on... Let me know if you need more possibilities.
 
When do the "Ming said Homepods will be severely constrained well into March of 2018" rumors start?
 
ryancgoodfellow said:
I don't believe it (for now). 30k points on your face when you are holding the phone makes sense. 30k points shot across a living room? nope. they would need to increase the density drastically.
Click to expand...

Not to mention needing something like 180 degree field of view and 10-15 foot range. Also, what is the point? to be able to buy things by voice? or get your email/sms read out?

Just use voice recognition plus a second factor, like Apple watch proximity/phone proximity.
 
SoApple said:
Am I the only one who sees no use for Face ID on a home speaker...?
Click to expand...

Except we don't know how Apple would utilize it. No, it's not something that makes me go "about time," or "awesome," but I'm certainly willing to go into to the concept with an open mind.

That said, I don't know if the HomePod will survive until 2019 if Apple doesn't release secondary speakers like the Amazon Echo Dot or Google Mini. I very much would love a Siri speaker system in my home -- a speaker of some kind in every major room.

However, HomePod as it is now is just a white elephant. I use every room in my house, not just one. HomePod doesn't solve that problem the way Echo or Google Home/mini does. Apple should have named the speaker StudioApartmentPod.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: WatchFromAfar and Kopa
So he doesn’t know Apple’s plans he’s just guessing where the market is heading in general. How is this newsworthy? It’s not even a supply chain rumor.
 
I see it coming to everything Apple makes if they decide to have user profiles on iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. I don't see it coming to iPhone ever, for good reason. It just comes down to whether or not Apple is willing to concede some revenue for this feature. I know my girlfriend and I would only have 1 iPad if profiles existed.
 
Perhaps it can recognise the hand gestures like volume up or volume down. It works when you look at the speaker and thus prevents false gestures.
 
PavelGubarev said:
Perhaps it can recognise the hand gestures like volume up or volume down. It works when you look at the speaker and thus prevents false gestures.
Click to expand...

But that would be kind of awkward, no? I mean you are eating dinner on the far side of the room, phone rings. You have to stand up and turn around to mute? Yelling "hey, Siri Mute" seems much simpler.
 
citysnaps said:
For starters...

I suspect Apple might view HomePod being used in a home environment where there might be multiple family members who want to engage it. Husband, wife, and a few children. And maybe even a guest.

I might want to ask the question, "What is the balance in my checking account today?" Before reporting the balance, I would hope HomePod would first ascertain my identity, and then report the balance of my (and not a family member's) checking account.

I could go on... Let me know if you need more possibilities.
Click to expand...

What a horrible future. We are already one click or one tap away from all these things, literally at the tips of our fingers. Are these things or features actually needed? Apple needs to get back to basics, provide the best experience and quality and learn to say no to useless features.
 
When Apple announced the HomePod I was very interested. I am still interested but I'm disappointed in the rumors that I won't be able to use voice commands to initiate music from 3rd party sources, such as Pandora.

Since Apple made the announcement Sonos has released the Sonos One. A speaker with Amazon's Alexa built-in. You can use your voice to play not just Amazon Music but also Pandora and others (Spotify is coming). The Sonos One is $199.

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/one.html

At the announced $349, the HomePod is going to have to sound a LOT better and do a LOT more.

Mark
 
Last edited:
citysnaps said:
For starters...

I suspect Apple might view HomePod being used in a home environment where there might be multiple family members who want to engage it. Husband, wife, and a few children. And maybe even a guest.

I might want to ask the question, "What is the balance in my checking account today?" Before reporting the balance, I would hope HomePod would first ascertain my identity, and then report the balance of my (and not a family member's) checking account.

I could go on... Let me know if you need more possibilities.
Click to expand...

Why the need for facial recognition, when voice recognition could do the same thing? But the thing with any of the IoT connected speakers on the market is that with the number of people, including young kids, carrying an iPhone or Android phone with them all the time, I just don't see the value in having yet another screened device that you would need to get up to go to in order to interact with the screen it has.

If you want to know what your balance is in your account, why not just pull your iPhone out of your pocket and check your bank's app? Or better yet, have the app set up to provide notifications first thing in the morning and you can just look at the notification to see what the balance is. That's how I currently keep track and it's super easy.

I think Apple's Home Pod is really just a re-imagining of their previous home speaker system, and is not supposed to be an alternative to your iPhone or iPad for interacting with on such a personal level.
 
First let's see if Apple actually releases their first HomePod. They've got 50 days remaining.

Why do I get the feeling they'll release one on December 31, and then it will be in limited supply for three months.
 
I imagine, it will be the kinect on steroids. It will not only do facial scans but will probably understand body gestures.
 
An internet connected box with a microphone that can record everything in your home and a camera that can even identify the people in it. What could possibly go wrong?

No thanks. Why would I want anything like that in my house?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back